If you’re an adult who likes to plan ahead for the holidays, join us next Thursday, Oct. 14, from 10-11 a.m. for our second free hands-on, environmentally friendly craft experience called Homemade Holiday Jumpstart. Materials and resources will be provided, and you’ll be able to make crafts using low-cost items. You’ll also have the opportunity to browse numerous craft and cooking books.

Inspiration for the crafts in this session comes from a book called “Eco Craft: Recycle, Recraft, Restyle” by Susan Wasinger. She specializes in reusing household items like cans, bottles and plastic bags that would normally end up in a landfill to create home accessories or gifts. Adult services librarian Tessa Michaelson Schmidt will show you how to paint labels onto glass jars with chalkboard paint. The jars can be used to hold pantry staples like baking ingredients or as a reusable container for homemade gifts such as bath salts or “cookie mix in a jar.”

No registration or fees are required. Just show up, bring your creativity and share your inspiration. Tessa says that if there is enough demand she will lead a third session in October.

Lifelong Learning

Saturday, Oct. 16, marks the start of the fall series of six free Lifelong Learning lectures at the library. Back by popular demand, this new group of interesting presentations takes place on Saturdays from 3 to 4:15 p.m. The opening talk is titled?“Inside Iran: From Mashad to Tehran.” Marilee Jantzer White will present a lecture and photo slideshow offering perspectives on contemporary issues as related by Iranians.

“Mint Juleps, Mayhem and Murder” by Sara Rosett is a mystery featuring military wife and professional organizer Ellie Avery. “Summer Brides” is a collection of three contemporary romances by Susan Wiggs, Sherryl Woods and Susan Mallery. “The Cinderella Deal” by Jennifer Cruisie is a contemporary romantic comedy. “Death in Show” by Judi McCoy is a Dog Walker mystery about the death of a dog handler.

New novels

“The Mullah’s Storm” by Thomas W. Young is about courage and survival in Afghanistan by a man who has “been there and done that.” “Healer” by Carol Cassella is the story of a doctor struggling to hold her family together through a storm of broken trust and questionable ethics. “The Widower’s Tale” by Julia Glass explores the dramatic changes in the life of a 70-year-old man settling into retirement when his routines are interrupted by new activities. “Zero History” by William Gibson focuses on three people who work for a global marketing magnate. “The Windup Girl” by Paolo Bacigalupi explores a world when bio-terrorism becomes a tool for corporate profits. “The Thorn” by Beverly Lewis is a romantic mystery and family drama set in Lancaster County’s Amish country. “The Tale of Oat Cake Crag” by Susan Wittig Albert is the latest in the Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter series.

Nonfiction

“The Grand Design” by Stephen Hawking is the first major work in nearly a decade of one of the world’s great thinkers, who looks at the origins of the universe and of life itself. “The Tenth Parallel by Eliza Griswold looks at the importance of the line of latitude 700 miles north of the equator where Christianity and Islam collide. “Secret of the Power” by Rhonda Byrne bills itself as “the handbook to the greatest power in the universe – the power to have everything you want.” “The Wave” by Susan Casey explores scientific studies of giant rogue waves. “The Perfection Point” by John Brenkus ventures across the sports world to document current records and the absolute limits of human performance.

Health and cooking

“Jan’s Story” is the story of the effect on the family of multiple Emmy award-winning CBS News reporter Barry Peterson when his wife Jan is diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease. “The Food Matters Cookbook” by Mark Bittman provides 500 recipes for easy, delicious foods that are as good for you as they are for the planet.

Quotable quote

“It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.” — Albert Einstein.

Thanks to our donors

We are grateful to Clare Skaggs and Darlene Warring for their generous donations. For books and materials this week we thank Carol Baker, Kathie Ferris, Susan Mullen, Shari Pierce and Robert Pohly.

Website

For more information on library books, services and programs — and to reserve books from the comfort of your home — please visit our website at–http://pagosa.colibraries.org/.